The Best VPNs for Torrenting 2026

With a torrential downpour of VPN options, let us simplify the best VPNs for peer-to-peer file sharing.
We receive compensation from the products and services mentioned in this story, but the opinions are the author's own. Compensation may impact where offers appear. We have not included all available products or offers. Learn more about how we make money and our editorial policies.

Best Overall

2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Overall VPN
5.0
Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On NordVPN's website

NordVPN
PROMOTION: Get 75% + 3 Months Free
View More

Best for Privacy

2026 Editors’ Choice
Best VPN for Fast Speeds
4.8
Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On ExpressVPN's website

ExpressVPN
PROMOTION: Get Your World Cup VPN for 80% OFF
View More

Best for Affordability

2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Apple VPN
4.7
Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On CyberGhost's website

CyberGhost
PROMOTION: Up to 88% Off + 2 Months Free
View More

Our testing proved NordVPN to be the best overall VPN for torrenting and streaming, coming equipped with P2P-optimized servers, while ExpressVPN took a strong lead in security. CyberGhost was also a strong candidate if you need torrenting functionality and security features at an affordable price.

Keep reading to learn more about these top VPN apps for torrenting.

In this article
The best VPNs for torrenting
Compare the best torrenting VPNs
Methodology
NordVPN: Best overall
ExpressVPN: Best for privacy and security
CyberGhost: Best for affordable protection
Bottom line
FAQs

The best VPNs for torrenting

5.0
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Overall VPN
VPN
NordVPN
  • Our #1 rated VPN, which has increased download speeds by up to 36% across all regions in our testing
  • Historically unlocks Netflix libraries in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia with no errors
  • Bundles with ad blocker, data removal, and encrypted storage for a more complete privacy setup
Learn More

4.8
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best VPN for Fast Speeds
VPN
ExpressVPN
  • Fast VPN with a Lightway Turbo protocol that increased our U.S. download speeds by 15% in testing
  • Servers in all 50 U.S. states, covering more domestic locations than most VPNs offer
  • Works with the Aircove router to cover every device on your home network, using just one device slot
Learn More

4.7
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Apple VPN
VPN
CyberGhost
  • VPN with dedicated streaming servers that successfully unlocked Netflix libraries worldwide in our testing
  • RAM-only servers across 100+ countries wipe all data on every reboot, so there's no data stored
  • Headquartered in Romania outside the Eyes alliances and independently audited by Deloitte in 2024
Learn More

Compare the best torrenting VPNs

VPN NordVPN logo
Best Overall
ExpressVPN logo
CyberGhost logo
Best for Overall Privacy and security Affordable protection
Starting price $3.49/mo $2.49/mo $1.59/mo
Torrenting servers
Kill switch
No-logs policy
Additional security features Split tunneling, malware scans, blocks malicious sites, ad blocker Split tunneling, blocks tracker, scammer, and malware sites, continuously updated blocklist CyberGhost Security Suite for Windows, protection against malware, adware and other threats
Learn more Get NordVPN
Read NordVPN Review
Get ExpressVPN
Read ExpressVPN Review
Get CyberGhost
Read CyberGhost Review

How we test and rate VPNs

Every VPN in this guide is hands-on tested by our team using a consistent process. We evaluate each product across seven areas:

  • Features (30.5%): We review every VPN for inclusion of a working kill switch, split tunneling, multiple VPN protocols, multi-hop servers, and the option to add a dedicated IP. We also review the size of the server network and number of server countries available.
  • Test results (20%): We run download and upload speed tests with no VPN as a baseline, then connect to servers in four regions (U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia) to calculate the VPN's impact on our speeds. We also connect to each region's Netflix library to verify streaming access, and run WebRTC and DNS leak tests using BrowserLeaks to confirm our real IP and DNS data remain masked.
  • Editor's score (15%): We use each VPN ourselves, evaluating interface clarity, feature accessibility, and anything else that affects day-to-day use that isn't captured by our other criteria.
  • Value (11%): We evaluate each product's value based on starting price, money-back guarantee length, and the number of simultaneous connections allowed under a single subscription.
  • Privacy and security (9.5%): We verify each VPN's no-logs policy, check whether it has been independently audited, review its encryption standards, and note its headquarters jurisdiction.
  • Customer service (5%): We evaluate how thorough the customer support is based on how many ways there are to contact human support. 
  • Compatibility (3%): We review each VPN's availability across desktop, mobile, browsers, routers, and smart devices.

We test VPNs at least twice a year. Testing has been carried out across Windows, macOS, and mobile, so our results reflect real-world performance across devices.

To learn more about how we test, read our full VPN methodology here.

NordVPN: Best overall

#1 Rated VPN for Privacy and Security
5.0
Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On NordVPN's website
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Overall VPN
VPN
NordVPN
PROMOTION: Get 75% + 3 Months Free
  • Our #1 rated VPN, which has increased download speeds by up to 36% across all regions in our testing
  • Historically unlocks Netflix libraries in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia with no errors
  • Bundles with ad blocker, data removal, and encrypted storage for a more complete privacy setup

What we liked

Are you planning on doing a lot of peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing and streaming at home? If so, NordVPN is the best option for your computer and other devices. It offers fast connection speeds and strong security standards, making your day-to-day data-sharing and viewing experiences enjoyable.

NordVPN previously had a tab dedicated to P2P servers, but now all standard Nord servers support P2P activities. When you consider NordVPN's extensive network of 9,300+ servers, that gives you plenty of options to choose from for torrenting. 

Based on our historical testing data, NordVPN is the fastest VPN out of the 50-plus VPNs we've tested. Its historical average impact on our download speeds is only 1% slower, which includes connecting to servers in the U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia.

These faster speeds are helped by NordVPN’s NordLynx, a protocol integrated with WireGuard that uses less processing capacity and power during the connection process. NordLynx ensures that speed isn't compromised during your VPN connection.

Additionally, NordVPN combines its VPN with a Smart DNS service, automatically switching DNS servers when attempting to access unavailable content. This enhanced feature does this while also simultaneously masking your IP address. 

This is helpful if you live in an area that restricts certain geo-restricted content, so with NordVPN SmartPlay, you can stream your favorite shows from your desktop, browser, smartphones, and even smart TVs. 

What we didn’t like

While the extra security is valuable, Threat Protection Pro isn't available on NordVPN's entry-level plan. We don’t like that Threat Protection won’t work unless you’re connected to your VPN and it doesn’t delete any previously downloaded malware.

Before torrenting files, you’ll need to use the Threat Protection Pro on a Windows or macOS device to guarantee that you’re protected from current and previous malware threats.

NordVPN specs

Starting price Starts at $3.49/mo
Money-back guarantee Yes — 30 days
Number of servers 9,300+ servers in 130+ countries
Number of connected devices 10
Encryption AES-256-GCM
Torrenting servers Yes
Kill switch Yes
No-logs policy Yes
Additional security features Split tunneling, malware scanning, and blocking of malicious sites, ads, and trackers
Learn more Get NordVPN
Read NordVPN Review

Test results

To assess NordVPN’s performance, we conducted tests to review impact on speed, ability to unblock Netflix geo-restrictions, and protection against potential data leaks.

NordVPN passed all three tests with flying colors. It has minimal impact on our speeds, unblocked all the Netflix libraries we tested, and prevented all data leaks.

Audited no-logs policy Yes, audited by Deloitte from November-December 2025
Speed Decreased our download speeds by an average of 16%
Netflix Unblocked Netflix U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia
DNS leak Passed, no DNS leaks
WebRTC leak Passed, no WebRTC leaks
Kill switch Passed, no trace of our physical location when switching servers
Learn more Get NordVPN

Read Our NordVPN Review

Star rating summary

NordVPN has a perfect star rating of 5.0 and is our top VPN recommendation. You can expect a user-friendly experience, standard VPN features along with helpful extras, an audited no-logs policy, and intuitive apps across devices. 

Decision factor Weight Verdict
Our experience 15% 5.0
Value11% 5.0
Features30.5% 5.0
Test results20% 5.0
Privacy and security9.5% 5.0
Compatibility3% 5.0
Customer service5% 5.0

ExpressVPN: Best for privacy and security

Extensive Server Network Provides Protection Wherever You Go
4.8
Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On ExpressVPN's website
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best VPN for Fast Speeds
VPN
ExpressVPN
PROMOTION: Get Your World Cup VPN for 80% OFF
  • Fast VPN with a Lightway Turbo protocol that increased our U.S. download speeds by 15% in testing
  • Servers in all 50 U.S. states, covering more domestic locations than most VPNs offer
  • Works with the Aircove router to cover every device on your home network, using just one device slot

What we liked

ExpressVPN is best if you want a product’s privacy and security features verified before you purchase and download a VPN. While a website can make many claims, you'll want to know that your VPN has been audited by a third-party firm with a solid reputation. 

As of June 2026, ExpressVPN has completed 27 audits on its various technologies. Its no-logs policy was most recently audited by KPMG in June 2025, so it's been repeatedly verified that ExpressVPN never tracks or stores your browsing activities and data. 

Though not all torrenting uses are illegal, many still need the extra security of a VPN like ExpressVPN. For example, torrents are used to fight disinformation in countries like Russia.

We reviewed and liked several of ExpressVPN’s security features, including:

  • Threat Manager: This feature prevents your device from interacting with malicious third parties, such as trackers and malware sites, whether the app is open or running in the background.
  • Network Lock: The kill switch component protects your data if you get disconnected from the VPN by blocking all your internet traffic.
  • RAM-only servers: The company’s RAM-only servers wipe the data clean every time they’re rebooted.

ExpressVPN Advanced dashboard with Advanced Protection toggles showing

What we didn’t like

ExpressVPN is one of the most expensive VPN services, as the lowest price is $2.49/mo. Other VPNs like Surfshark and Private Internet Access are on the lower end of the budget, costing $1.99/mo and $1.33/mo, respectively.

And while the company’s servers can handle torrenting without issues, ExpressVPN doesn't have servers dedicated to P2P file sharing.

ExpressVPN specs

Starting price Starts at $2.49/mo
Money-back guarantee Yes — 30 days
Number of servers Unlisted in 105 countries
Number of connected devices 14
Encryption AES-256
Torrenting servers No
Kill switch Yes
No-logs policy Yes
Additional security features Split tunneling, blocking of tracker, scammer, and malware sites, and a continuously updated blocklist
Learn more Get ExpressVPN
Read ExpressVPN Review

Test results

We put ExpressVPN through three types of tests: speed tests to measure impact with different servers, Netflix tests to unblock geo-restrictions, and leak tests to determine privacy protection. 

ExpressVPN had almost no impact on our download speeds and successfully unblocked all the Netflix libraries we tested. However, ExpressVPN only partially passed the WebRTC leak test, as the BrowserLeaks site detected that something was off.

Test type
Audited no-logs policy Yes, audited by KPMG in June 2025
Speed Maintained our download speed with most servers
Netflix Unblocked Netflix U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia
DNS leak Passed, no DNS leaks
WebRTC leak Partially passed, WebRTC IP didn't match remote IP
Kill switch Passed, no trace of our physical location when switching servers
Learn more Get ExpressVPN

Read Our ExpressVPN Review

Star rating summary

ExpressVPN has a high star rating of 4.8 due to its intuitive dashboard, wide price range that suits multiple budgets, audited no-logs policy, and extensive compatibility. 

ExpressVPN received a lower score in the test results category because it failed to unblock Netflix U.K. It also was marked down in the features category because it doesn't offer multi-hop servers.

Decision factor Weight Verdict
Our experience 15% 5.0
Value11% 5.0
Features30.5% 4.8
Test results20% 4.5
Privacy and security9.5% 5.0
Compatibility3% 5.0
Customer service5% 5.0

CyberGhost: Best for affordable protection

Leading Protection, Even on Smart TVs and Gaming Consoles
4.7
Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On CyberGhost's website
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Apple VPN
VPN
CyberGhost
PROMOTION: Up to 88% Off + 2 Months Free
  • VPN with dedicated streaming servers that successfully unlocked Netflix libraries worldwide in our testing
  • RAM-only servers across 100+ countries wipe all data on every reboot, so there's no data stored
  • Headquartered in Romania outside the Eyes alliances and independently audited by Deloitte in 2024

What we liked

CyberGhost offers many of the same features as NordVPN and ExpressVPN but at a more affordable price point of $1.59/mo. With respectable speeds and a network of servers in 100 countries, CyberGhost makes torrenting with a VPN easy.

With a 45-day money-back guarantee, CyberGhost is confident in the security and privacy of its services. It also has designated P2P servers ideal for connecting to torrent clients like uTorrent and BitTorrent and torrent websites.

CyberGhost VPN open on streaming servers list

When we tested CyberGhost, we found no leaks, meaning our IP was successfully masked. The interface was also easy to use, allowing us to choose specialty servers for torrenting, gaming, or streaming. 

The connection to the VPN was also apparent within the application, so you can feel safe knowing that you are fully connected to your VPN.

What we didn’t like

Although the interface is largely easy to use, CyberGhost spreads out its features across tabs in a confusing way. For instance, if you want to enable the kill switch, you have to navigate to Privacy settings after clicking on the VPN tab. On the other hand, the VPN protocol options are located in the General Settings under the CyberGhost VPN tab.

Additionally, split tunneling is only available for Android devices at this time.

CyberGhost specs

Starting price Starts at $1.59/mo
Money-back guarantee Yes — 45 days
Number of servers Unlisted in 100 countries
Number of connected devices 7
Encryption AES-256
Torrenting servers Yes
Kill switch Yes
No-logs policy Yes
Additional security features CyberGhost Security Suite for Windows, protection against malware, adware and other threats
Learn more Get CyberGhost
Read CyberGhost Review

Test results

We ran several tests on CyberGhost for insight into its real-world performance. We tested how CyberGhost would impact our internet speeds, unblock Netflix's geo-restrictions, and prevent data leaks.

CyberGhost passed all of our Netflix tests and prevented all data leaks. It had a high impact on our speeds, but our internet was still perfectly usable.

Test type
Audited no-logs policy Yes, audited by Deloitte in May 2024
Speed Decreased our download speeds by an average of 18%
Netflix Unblocked Netflix U.S., Canada, U.K., and Australia
DNS leak Passed, no DNS leaks
WebRTC leak Passed, no WebRTC leaks
Kill switch Passed, no trace of our physical location when switching servers
Learn more Get CyberGhost

Read Our CyberGhost Review

Star rating summary

CyberGhost has a high star rating of 4.7 due to its feature-rich platform, audited no-logs policy, privacy-friendly headquarters, and compatibility across desktop, mobile, routers, and more. 

CyberGhost received a lower test results score due to its slow speed performance. We also docked points in the experience category because we've had issues connecting to servers and unblocking geo-restrictions. 

Decision factor Weight Verdict
Our experience 15% 4.5
Value11% 4.67
Features30.5% 4.75
Test results20% 4.5
Privacy and security9.5% 5.0
Compatibility3% 5.0
Customer service5% 5.0

Bottom line

NordVPN, ExpressVPN, and CyberGhost all have excellent speeds for torrenting and streaming, making them the optimal selections during our comparison testing. These VPN services are transparent, having undergone multiple third-party audits. 

They’re also headquartered in countries that value your right to privacy. With multiple safety features and military-grade encryption, you can feel safe using these VPNs for P2P file sharing.

FAQs

Why would someone use a BitTorrent VPN?

If you'd like to download torrents anonymously, a VPN can encrypt your data and route your connection through a server to shield your identity and location.

Not only can you protect your identity and activities while online, but you may also be able to access geo-blocked content within your region. Just as important, a VPN may protect you against downloading malware during your file-sharing process.

What are the main things I should look for when selecting the best VPN for torrenting?

You’ll first want to review where the VPN is headquartered, as countries in the 5, 9, or 14 Eyes alliances can share your information with their governments if requested to do so.

In terms of the VPN itself, always look for standard AES-256 encryption or better, a kill switch to prevent data leaking if your VPN gets turned off, and a no-logging policy. Server connectivity speeds and streaming are also important while torrenting, so look for faster VPNs or VPN providers that offer VPN servers specifically for torrenting.

Is torrenting legal?

Torrenting is fully legal. Because torrenting involves peer-to-peer file sharing, it can be associated with piracy or the unauthorized use of copyrighted material. These files may include games, movies, music, and software.

You may be wondering what happens if you accidentally and illegally download a copyrighted file. The answer is that your internet service provider (ISP) could take actions against you, like throttling your bandwidth, for example. Plus, copyright trolls — entities whose sole purpose is to go after torrenting — could take legal actions against you for copyright infringement and more.

What's the best free VPN for torrenting?

A free VPN should raise concerns about selling your data, but some are more reputable than others. We like Proton VPN's free VPN, which offers servers in three countries: Japan, the Netherlands, and the U.S. If you like Proton, you can upgrade your free VPN to its Plus plan, which offers servers optimized for file sharing.

#1 Rated VPN for Privacy and Security
5.0
Editorial Rating
Get Deal
On NordVPN's website
2026 Editors’ Choice
Best Overall VPN
VPN
NordVPN
PROMOTION: Get 75% + 3 Months Free
  • Our #1 rated VPN, which has increased download speeds by up to 36% across all regions in our testing
  • Historically unlocks Netflix libraries in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia with no errors
  • Bundles with ad blocker, data removal, and encrypted storage for a more complete privacy setup
Author Details
Robin Moore is a writer, editor, and prompt engineer specializing in AI-driven content systems and blockchain technology.
Mary James is a cybersecurity writer and hands-on product tester at All About Cookies, specializing in VPNs, antivirus software, password managers, and ad blockers. She has written over 340 articles and has personally tested more than 75 products. Before writing about consumer security, she worked at PC Matic, a U.S. antivirus company, giving her firsthand insight into how security software is built, marketed, and tested. Her work has been featured in MSN and CNBC.